(By: Clay Williams)

As September rapidly approaches, that means it’s time for high schools across the state to make their final preparations for the 2024 football season. The Jonesboro-Hodge Tigers, who are back in Class A this year, opted for tougher opponents for their scrimmage this year, facing familiar Class 2A foes Mangham and D’Arbonne Woods.

The scrimmage pitted the first team offense and defense for each school against each other in a controlled 10-15 play series, followed by a like series by the second team for each school.

Under the guidance of head coach Terrance Blankenship, now entering his school record 12th year at the helm, JHHS got the ball vs the DWCS defense to start the scrimmage. In their first action since graduating eight starters on offense after last season, it took the new and young Tigers some time to get adjusted.

Then nearing the end of their first offensive series, quarterback Dakota Knox found senior wideout Christian McGuire, one of only four seniors on the 2024 Tigers squad, deep down the field for a huge 60-yard touchdown pass. “Knox to McGuire” quickly became the most dangerous connection on the field from that point on.

Next, the J-H defense took the field for the first time, also strutting out a mostly new players after graduating nine starters from last year’s squad. Returning junior standout, Landon Boston, led the Tigers effort from his new “nickelback” role in the defensive backfield. In roughly 50 plays against the first-string offenses from D’Arbonne Woods and Mangham, Defensive Coordinator’s Carlos Hicks youthful squad held the opposition to only three scores.

J-Hodge got a few more chances to show off the new offense, led by an old friend in offensive coordinator Justin Durbin, who is back with the Tigers this season. Highlighting the action was a big drive against Mangham’s tough defense, with Knox and McGuire connecting on passes of 15 and 25 yards to get the J-H offense inside the 5-yard line. Then on a quick bootleg to the right, the pair hooked up again for the Tiger’s second touchdown.

Jonesboro-Hodge’s offensive line rotation of Kyron Atkins, Ken’Wuan Atkins, Sadaar Stevens, Malik Nichols, Michael Malone and Samuel Combs deserves a lot of credit as well. Knox faced very little pressure throughout the scrimmage and the “big boys” up front paved the way to several good runs out of the backfield.

Next Saturday, August 31st, at 12:00 p.m., Jonesboro-Hodge will play Red River High School (Coushatta) in the annual “Bayou Jamb” at Malone Stadium on the campus of the University of Louisiana – Monroe (ULM).

The Tigers will then host archrival Winnfield at 7:00 pm on Friday, September 6th, at Caldwell-Peacock stadium on the campus of Jonesboro-Hodge High School for the opener of the LHSAA regular season.